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Objective Personal Pronoun
Phonetics:
əbˈdʒektɪv
pɜːsənl
prəʊnaʊn
Pronunciation:
Objective Personal Pronouns Exposed: Enhancing Your English Language Skills
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & Rules
Introduction to Objective Personal Pronouns
Objective personal pronoun is a group of words in English that take the place of nouns when we want to refer to someone or something that is receiving the action of a verb or is the object of a preposition. They are like the sidekicks of the sentence, always there to help out! The most common objective pronouns are “me,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “it,” “us,” and “them.” So, instead of saying, “Sarah hit Sarah’s head on the door,” we can simply say, “Sarah hit her head on the door.” See how the pronoun “her” steps in for “Sarah’s head”.
Objective pronouns also come into play after prepositions like “to,” “for,” “with,” and “by.” For example, “I gave the book to him” or “She went to the party with them.” They do the job of receiving the action or being the object, which makes our sentences less repetitive and more efficient.
Functions of Objective Personal Pronouns
Objective personal pronouns are like the unsung heroes of sentences. They’re the pronouns that usually come after action verbs or prepositions and serve as the objects of the sentence. You know, the ones that receive the action or are on the receiving end of something. So, when someone does something to you, or for you, or with you, that’s when an objective personal pronoun comes into play. They include words like “me,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “it,” “us,” and “them.” For example, if your friend gives you a present, you would say, “She gave it to me.” In this case, “me” is the objective personal pronoun, because you’re the one receiving the gift.
Here are a few examples illustrating their use as direct objects, indirect objects, and object complements:
Direct Objects:
- She called him.
- They ate the pizza.
- I saw her at the party.
Indirect Objects:
- He gave me a book.
- They sent us an invitation.
- She bought him a present.
Object Complements:
- They appointed her as the team captain.
- We consider them our friends.
The teacher declared him the winner.
Subject Pronouns vs. Objective Personal Pronouns
Alright, so here’s the deal with subject pronouns and objective personal pronouns. Subject pronouns are the ones we use when the pronoun is the subject of a sentence, meaning it’s the one doing the action. For example, “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they” are subject pronouns. They kick things off and take the lead in a sentence. On the other hand, an objective personal pronoun comes into play when the pronoun is the object of a sentence, meaning it’s receiving the action. These pronouns include “me,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “it,” “us,” and “them.” They’re like the targets of the action, the ones getting the action done to them.
Subject pronouns play the role of the subject in a sentence and are used to indicate the one performing the action or being described. They take the lead and kick off the sentence. On the other hand, objective personal pronouns serve as objects in a sentence and receive the action. They are used when the pronoun is the object of a verb or a preposition. For instance, in the sentence “She gave me a book,” “she” is the subject pronoun performing the action of giving, while “me” is the objective personal pronoun receiving the book. So, subject pronouns do the action, and objective personal pronouns receive the action in sentences.
Objective Personal Pronouns as Direct Objects
An objective case pronoun is a pronoun that is employed as a direct object, indirect object, or prepositional object. These include people like me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.
Here are some examples demonstrating their use in sentences:
- She called me yesterday.
- Please pass it to her.
- The dog chased them down the street.
- We bought it for them as a gift.
- She invited him to the event.
- They gave us their tickets.
Objective Personal Pronouns as Indirect Objects
Objective Personal Pronouns come into play when someone receives the action indirectly. Say you have a sentence like, “She gave him a book.” Now, “him” is the indirect object because he’s the one getting the book. The objective personal pronoun “him” replaces his name and tells us who’s receiving the action, in this case, the book. So, instead of saying, “She gave Bob a book,” we can use the pronoun “him” to make it more concise and easier to understand. These pronouns make our lives simpler by replacing names and keeping the sentence flow smooth.
Here are some examples showcasing their use in sentences:
- They showed us their new car.
- The teacher assigned him a challenging project.
- She baked them cookies as a thank-you gesture.
- The company awarded him a promotion for his hard work.
- We offered her a ride to the airport.
Objective Personal Pronouns as Object Complements
Now, an object complement is something that comes after the object and describes or renames it. So, objective personal pronouns can be used as object complements to provide additional information or rename the object.
Here are some examples to illustrate their role in completing the meaning of a sentence:
- They elected me class president.
- We named him the winner.
- The teacher appointed her the team captain.
- They considered us their best friends.
- The company hired them as consultants.
- He made it his mission to succeed.
- I painted the house blue, making it more vibrant.
- She called me a genius.
- We found them trustworthy.
He declared her the love of his life.
Placement of Objective Personal Pronouns
Here are some guidelines for correctly placing objective personal pronouns in a sentence:
- Put them after the verb or preposition.
- Don’t mix them up with subjective pronouns.
- Use the appropriate pronoun for each element in compound subjects or objects.
Word order and syntactical considerations refer to the arrangement of words and phrases within a sentence to convey meaning and maintain grammatical correctness. In English, word order generally follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) pattern, but there are various syntactical rules and exceptions to be aware of.
Placement of Objective Personal Pronouns
Here are some guidelines for correctly placing objective personal pronouns in a sentence:
- Put them after the verb or preposition.
- Don’t mix them up with subjective pronouns.
- Use the appropriate pronoun for each element in compound subjects or objects.
Word order and syntactical considerations refer to the arrangement of words and phrases within a sentence to convey meaning and maintain grammatical correctness. In English, word order generally follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) pattern, but there are various syntactical rules and exceptions to be aware of.
Common Mistakes with Objective Personal Pronouns
Let’s discuss how to identify common errors made when using objective personal pronouns:
- Confusing pronouns: Using subjective pronouns (e.g., “I”) instead of objective pronouns (e.g., “me”) in sentences.
- Missing pronouns: Forgetting to include objective pronouns (e.g., “him”) after prepositions (e.g., “to”).
- Misplacing pronouns: Incorrectly positioning objective pronouns within a sentence (e.g., “The teacher praised Sarah and I”).
Now, study these tips and strategies to avoid these mistakes:
- Familiarize yourself with the correct usage of subjective and objective pronouns.
- Always include the appropriate objective pronoun after prepositions.
Double-check the placement of objective pronouns within sentences to ensure accuracy.
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Key Takeaways
- Objective pronouns are used as the objects of sentences or prepositions.
- Common objective pronouns include “me,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “it,” “us,” and “them.”
- Use objective pronouns correctly by distinguishing them from subjective pronouns.
- Place objective pronouns after prepositions and as indirect objects in sentences.
- Double-check the placement and usage of objective pronouns to avoid common mistakes.
Quiz
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Frequently Asked Questions
To use objective personal pronouns as indirect objects, place them after the verb and before the direct object. For example: “She gave him the book.”
Examples of objective personal pronouns in sentences include: “I saw him at the park,” “She called me yesterday,” and “They invited us to the party.”
Objective personal pronouns for the first, second, and third person are:
- first person – me,
- second person – you,
- third person – him, her, it, us, them.
Determine the objective personal pronoun based on its function in the sentence. If it’s the object of a verb or preposition, use the appropriate pronoun.
Objective personal pronouns typically come after prepositions or verbs. They are placed before the verb in imperative sentences.
Some exceptions or special cases include reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, yourself) and the use of “me” instead of “I” after a linking verb (e.g., It’s me).
Common mistakes to avoid when using objective personal pronouns include confusing subjective and objective pronouns, omitting them after prepositions, and misplacing them within sentences.
